1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automated wig manufacturing system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wig has been manufactured in such a manner that a hair segment is folded in two, which is one by one transplanted onto a three-dimensional thick base by handwork. When one folded hair segment is transplanted on the base, it looks as if two hairs are transplanted. To manufacture a wig with 20,000 hairs transplanted, for example, such laborious task must be repeated 10,000 times. This increases a manufacturing cost of the wig. Some attempts have been made to develop automated wig manufacturing systems, but produced no practical success.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art wig manufacturing system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an novel automated and machinized wig manufacturing system capable of manufacturing wigs at a drastically reduced cost when compared with the prior art handmade wigs.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, therefore, there is provided an automated wig manufacturing apparatus comprising: a conveyor table; table drive means for moving said table on a two-dimensional plane at a predetermined pitch; base supply means for supplying a two-dimensional thin base to said table; tensioning and positioning means for stretching said base and positioning said stretched base at predetermined position with respect to said table; artificial hair supply means for supplying an artificial hair to the underside of said stretched base; hair transplanting means for transplanting said artificial hair on said base, said hair transplanting means including needle means reciprocating in first and second directions both perpendicular to said base, said needle means being moved in said first direction to penetrate said base and in said second direction, opposite to said first direction, to engage said artificial air at the underside of said base so that said artificial hair carried by said needle means is transplanted on said base, hair transplanting operation by said hair transplanting means being repeated as said table is moved by said drive means to an adjacent position remote from a preceding position by said predetermined pitch. The tensioning and positioning means is made inoperative after said hair transplanting operation by said hair transplanting means is completed, thereby releasing said base from being stretched by said tensioning and positioning means to allow shrinkage of said base due to material shrinkability thereof.
In a preferable embodiment, the apparatus further comprises: first adhesive applying means for applying first adhesive to the underside of said base for adhering said transplanted artificial hair to said base; cutting means for cutting said base, to which said first adhesive has been applied by said first adhesive applying means, into a base piece of a predetermined size; forming means for forming said base piece into a predetermined three-dimensional configuration: and second adhesive applying means for applying second adhesive to the underside of said three-dimensional base.
The base is preferably woven fabric.
The needle means preferably has a needle groove extending perpendicular to a direction of supply of said artificial hair by said artificial hair supply means, said needle groove being adapted to engage said artificial hair when said needle means is moved in said second direction.
The needle means may comprise at least one pair of needles reciprocating in synchronism with each other, said needles being spaced by a predetermined distance in parallel with the direction of supply of said artificial hair by said artificial hair supply means.
The pitch of movement of said table, which is a hair transplanting pitch in the hair transplanting operation by said hair transplanting means, is preferably greater than width of said needle means perpendicular to the direction of supply of said artificial hair by said artificial hair supply means.
The table may be moved intermittently by said table drive means in a direction perpendicular to the direction of supply of said artificial hair by said artificial hair supply means, during the hair transplanting operation by said hair transplanting means. The table may also be moved intermittently by said table drive means in parallel with the direction of supply of said artificial hair by said artificial hair supply means, during the hair transplanting operation by said hair transplanting means. Alternatively, the hair transplanting means transplants said artificial hair on said base in a direction oblique to a direction of movement of said table by said table drive means.
Movement of said table and said needle means may be controlled by a computer.
The artificial hair supply means may comprise a plurality of artificial hair supplying units, each supplying an artificial hair of a different color.
Preferably, the apparatus further includes hair separating means for disengaging said artificial hair from said needle means, after said artificial hair has been transplanted on said base by said hair transplanting means. The hair separating means may comprise at least one of means for blowing an air flow to said transplanted artificial hair, means for absorbing said transplanted artificial hair by vacuum suction, and a static electricity generator for absorbing said transplanted artificial hair by static electricity.
The artificial hair supply means may comprise a plurality of bobbins each carrying a continuous artificial hair of a different color, a plurality of first vacuum generators each being mounted adjacent to one of said bobbins to unreel said artificial hair therefrom, cutter means for cutting said unreeled artificial hair to a predetermined length, and a single second vacuum generator for conveying a mixture of said cut segments of said artificial hairs of different colors to the underside of said stretched base.
In preferable arrangement of the apparatus, the first adhesive applying means, said cutting means, said forming means and said second adhesive applying means are arranged in series in alignment with conveyance of said base.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automated wig manufacturing process comprising the steps of supplying a two-dimensional thin base to a conveyor table; stretching said base on said conveyor table; positioning said stretched base with respect to said conveyor table; supplying an artificial hair to the underside of said stretched base; engaging said supplied artificial hair by reciprocating needle means which penetrates said stretched base, said needle means with said artificial hair being moved to above said base so that said artificial hair is transplanted on said stretched base; repeating hair transplanting operation by said needle means while moving said conveyor table at a predetermined pitch; and releasing said base from being stretched, after the hair transplanting operation by said needle means is completed.
The process preferably further comprises the steps of applying first adhesive to the underside of said base for adhering said transplanted artificial hair to said base; cutting said base, to which said first adhesive has been applied by said first adhesive applying means, into a base piece of a predetermined size; forming said base piece into a predetermined three-dimensional configuration: and applying second adhesive to the underside of said three-dimensional base.